In his second State of the School address as dean of the University of Colorado Anschutz School of Medicine, John Sampson, MD, PhD, MBA, celebrated significant achievements across clinical care, research, education, and community engagement as the school progresses toward its goal of “Top 10 in 10.”
“The state of the school is strong. It’s strong because of you, our people,” Sampson told the audience. “Thank you for your leadership, your dedication, and your commitment to excellence across all our missions on this campus and far beyond. I am honored to serve as your dean, and most importantly, deeply grateful to work alongside you.”
It was Sampson’s first State of the School address after a full year as its leader. He became dean in July 2024.
In his speech on January 28 at the Elliman Conference Center on the CU Anschutz campus, Sampson also acknowledged the challenges facing the medical community in the United States.
“We recognize that many in our health care community carry the weight of loss, stress, and the uncertainty of these times,” he said. “These moments remind us why we chose this work – our shared commitment to care for others, to serve with compassion, and to lead with purpose.”
Clinical care successes
Sampson cited an impressive set of data points and developments to demonstrate the scale of the school’s impact in the realms of clinical care, research, education, and community engagement.
On clinical care, the dean noted 4.7 million patient visits supported by the school’s faculty and partners in 2025, and that UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital (UCH) and Children’s Hospital Colorado both are ranked No. 1 in Colorado by U.S. News & World Report. UCH enjoys top national rankings in four specialties, and Children’s Colorado is ranked in the top 5 in the United States, he said.
Patient success stories got the spotlight in Sampson’s presentation, including that of Carolyn Degrafinried’s interdisciplinary care for pancreatic cancer, led by CU Cancer Center members Wells Messersmith, MD, head of the Division of Medical Oncology, and Marco Del Chiaro, MD, professor of surgery. Degrafinried and her husband were in the audience.
Sampson also talked of CU Boulder football coach Deion Sanders’ successful bladder cancer treatment by Janet Kukreja, MD, associate professor of surgery.
Photo at top: CU Anschutz School of Medicine Dean John Sampson, MD, PhD, MBA, just before delivering his 2026 State of the School address. Photos by Melissa Santorelli | CU Anschutz School of Medicine
Progress on research
Demonstrating the school’s research excellence, Sampson said the school’s faculty had launched 1,280 new clinical trials in 2025. He cited $655 million in total research awards for fiscal year 2025, including $276 million from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and $223 million in philanthropic support for the year.
Among major recent gifts and grants Sampson featured: $64 million from the NIH to Jean Kutner, MD, MPH/MSPH, distinguished professor of medicine, for palliative care research; $50 million from the Anschutz Foundation for mental health initiatives; a $40 million anonymous gift to the school’s Department of Ophthalmology, and a $15 million gift from Tom and Cydney Marsico for a pancreatic cancer initiative.
The dean said that amid a “challenging federal funding environment,” the school’s departments had committed over $12 million in “gap funding” to help researchers facing award terminations or delays.
Sampson made note of COVID-19 research revealing a link between respiratory infection and the awakening of dormant cancer cells. And he cited CU Anschutz’s global No. 5 ranking by the journal Nature among health sciences research hospitals.
The dean also talked of a new documentary film, which features rock star Eddie Vedder, spotlighting the work of Jamie Feinstein, MD, MPH/MSPH, professor of pediatrics, and his search for breakthroughs in treating epidermolysis bullosa, a rare and lethal skin disease.
Education, community highlights
On the education front, the dean talked of earning full accreditation through 2032-33 from the Liaison Committee on Medical Education following implementation of its redesigned Trek curriculum, saying it’s “a big deal.”
He said more than 10,000 medical school applications were received for only 184 spots in the admission class. And he noted the “significant growth” of the school’s faculty headcount to over 6,000.
Sampson said the school has expanded medical student scholarships to $1.6 million. Graduates rate the school A+ on education surveys, he said. The dean also noted that the school’s inaugural class at the Fort Collins branch campus had graduated, and that its Child Health Associate/Physician Assistant Program is ranked No. 3 nationally. And he mentioned the new role of Patrick Hu, MD, PhD, as director of the Medical Scientist Training Program, working to revamp the admissions process.
As for community impact, Sampson talked of the school’s role in expanding telehealth services in Denver Public Schools in partnership with Denver Health to increase health care access, a project steered by Honora Quinn Burnett, MD, MPP, assistant professor of pediatrics, and Sandra Cherabie, DO, assistant professor of family medicine. “This program reflects our commitment to meeting patients where they are, leveraging innovation to improve access, and strengthening partnerships that advance health equity,” he said.
The dean said the School of Medicine has provided support to more than 100 community health programs statewide, and noted the establishment of the $1 million Joanna Sakata Family Rural Health Endowment to support the school’s Rural Program to train clinicians interested in serving in rural communities. He said school-supported programs had provided behavioral health care to more than 23,000 Medicaid patients.
Sampson said that the annual STEM Poster Day at the Colorado State Capitol, organized by campus organization Project Bridge Colorado, is “one of our most visible community engagement efforts.” The event brings undergraduates, graduate students, and postdocs from across the state to present their research work to lawmakers and the public with as little jargon as possible.
Sampson called attention to initiatives of the Center for Combat Medicine and Battlefield (COMBAT) Research, and announced the pending launch of the CU COMBAT-Army STAR Program in collaboration with the U.S. Army, focusing on five core areas: trauma skills sustainment, research, innovation, graduate medical education, and disaster response and preparedness. The initiative, he said, “underscores the role of the School of Medicine as a leader in trauma care.”
New leaders and honors
Sampson called attention to those in new leadership roles. Among them, he said, are:
- Vineet Chopra, MBBS, MD, MSc, as executive vice dean for clinical affairs, quality, and research, while continuing to serve as the chair of medicine.
- Shanta Zimmer, MD, as executive vice dean for education.
- Naresh Mandava, MD, as senior associate dean for strategic advancement, while continuing to serve as the chair of ophthalmology.
- Leslie Berg, PhD, as senior associate dean for biomedical research, while continuing to serve as the chair of immunology and microbiology.
- Adit Ginde, MD, as senior associate dean for clinical research.
- David Schwartz, MD, as associate dean for translational services.
Sampson also noted the appointment of three new department chairs:
- Vik Bebarta, MD, emergency medicine.
- Peter Fecci, MD, PhD, neurosurgery.
- Saketh Guntupalli, MD, obstetrics and gynecology.
With the departure of Richard Schulick, MD, MBA, as both director of the CU Cancer Center and chair of surgery, Sampson has appointed interim leaders James DeGregori, PhD, at the cancer center and Robert McIntyre, MD, at surgery.
The dean noted that faculty and fellows had received a host of prestigious honors, including:
- Neill Epperson, MD, chair of psychiatry, named a new member of the National Academy of Medicine.
- Richard Krugman, MD, distinguished professor of pediatrics and former dean of the School of Medicine, received the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health Policy Fellows Program Lifetime Achievement Award.
- Ronald Sokol, MD, distinguished professor of pediatrics, was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Liver Foundation.
- Marc Moss, MD, professor of medicine, was honored as distinguished professor by the University of Colorado.
- Kristina Wilson, MD, MPH, FAAP, associate professor of clinical practice in orthopedics, received a National Academy of Medicine State Health Policy Fellowship.
- Kristi Kuhn, MD, PhD, professor of medicine, and Catherine Musselman, PhD, associate professor of biochemistry and molecular genetics, both earned the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers.
- Marycruz Flores-Flores, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Pediatrics, was was one of 10 U.S. researchers to be named a 2025 Pew Latin American Fellow in the Biomedical Sciences.
'A framework for what comes next'
Sampson offered an update on the school’s progress toward becoming a top 10 U.S. medical school within 10 years. “Our Top 10 in 10 vision is not simply about rankings,” he said. “It is about building a roadmap that positions the School of Medicine as a national leader across all our missions.”
He emphasized improved faculty and staff well-being, with positive 2025 survey results showing reduced burnout; clinical quality improvements, as reflected in UCHealth reaching a six-year performance high; responsible integration of artificial intelligence tools to reduce administrative burden; and ongoing work with the school’s clinical partners toward sustainable relationships and funding models.
Looking ahead, he said, “Top 10 in 10 provides a framework for what comes next. It guides how we build on clinical excellence, accelerate research with real-world impact, strengthen our educational programs, and become more involved in our community. Just as importantly, it shapes how we tell our story – ensuring that the School of Medicine is recognized as a place where innovation thrives, patients receive exceptional care, and learners are inspired.”
In attendance for the address were CU Anschutz Chancellor Don Elliman, UCHealth President and CEO Elizabeth Concordia, and Children’s Colorado President and CEO Jena Hausmann, among other leaders.
